Cassandra Wilson at North Sea Jazz
Cassandra WilsonDuration: 65:15
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Cassandra Wilson was a singular voice in the world of jazz. A smoky contralto, she poured a well of emotion into everything she sang — her blues ached, her ballads floated, her percussion-driven grooves felt visceral. She skillfully reinvented arrangements from the canon of jazz standards, pop, blues, folk and African music. What never changed was the space she left around the phrases, room enough for every listener in the room to pour in their own meaning. Wilson’s accomplishments led her to be named “America’s Best Singer” in 2001 by Time Magazine and to be bestowed a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master award in 2022. The full range of the songstress was well-captured at the North Sea Jazz Festival in 2003, especially on “Lay, Lady, Lay” (by Bob Dylan) at 2:08, “I Want More” at 34:20, and “Tupelo Honey” (by Van Morrison) at 40:00. Cassandra Wilson passed away September 1, 2026.
Posted by Scott Lichtman.
